commentary on killing of a bull

I agreed with the author that it is wrong to think that it is not our problem. If we allowed such a thing to happen in other parts of the world, it is like allowing human race to abuse animals in whatever ways and wherever they liked. Animals have the rights to live and not be abused. We belonged to the same world and should treasure every lives instead of taking lives.

Animal Abuse: The Killing of a Bull

On 11 September 2001, in Tordesillas (Valadolid, Spain), a bull will be tormented and murdered in a show called "Toro de Vega", just as the one in this picture was tortured and murdered last year. This "show" can be described as: lots of people armed with medieval spears, chasing one bull in the fields and sticking the spears in any part of his body till he is dead. In the year 2000, the animal had one spear stuck completely through his body during 35 minutes till his death while the crowd still continued sticking him with more spears. And, church silence has been promoting this violence.

If the world, and particularly the church would begin to speak out against these atrocities, these types of blood sports would end almost over night; but the church's silence is encouraging their continuation. To take pleasure in the death or suffering of any living being is un-Biblical. The church is supposed to be the moral leader of the community and the world. Its role is not to sanitize violence. To accept torturing an animal for 35 minutes and say nothing against it, is to follow the devil and not the teachings of our Father in Heaven. What is happening here is nothing more than sadistic murder. These people are no better than a lynch mob; in fact, they are probably worse, because they are engaging in torture and well as a killing.

By this time, we suppose that some of our readers are saying, "This is in Spain, and we are not. It's their problem." It isn't only their problem. It's the problem of the whole world, for if we allow this to be done to a bull in Spain, we are not far from allowing such things to be done to humans in another part of the world. Evil is evil no matter where it occurs. The same God who is over them is over all of us, and the same Holy Spirit is convicting us of the sins of humanity. The whole world needs to stand up and shout, "STOP! This must end, now, and forever." As long as we are silent in any part of the world, we are just as guilty of torturing this animal as if we had thrust in a spear with our own hands.

This isn't a "cultural thing" or innocent fun. It's sadistic murder, and it's about time we began calling these atrocities by their proper names.

Our silence is like shooting ourselves in the foot, because we are sanitizing violence in our society.

REVIEW

I do agree with this writer that this is not a problem in Spain only, but the world's problem.
I believe the issue to animal abuse is pressing and should be dealt with seriously. In fact, it includes the world's efforts to ensure animal abuse cases are not rising any further. With everybody's efforts, it will take lesser effort to keep the situation under control. Imagine having government officials making rounds to check cases of animal abuse. Rather, each and every citizen make their efforts to not abuse animals. With that, cost and time can be saved.
Taking an example from green efforts. In order to save Earth, everyone has a role to play. Likewise, animals are everywhere in the world. Hence, world efforts are neccessary for easy control of animal abuse. Thus, animal abuse is a world's problem.

I do agree with the writer's stand on the fact that the church should not be promoting violence.
I do find it ironic. A church should be inculcating correct values into their followers. Instead, this church is harming animals, using cruel ways to do so. Thus, it has defeated the purpose of a church and bring more harm then good. Perhaps, it is similar to Islam, the misunderstanding of Islamic teachings, hence abusing mankind in Islam countries.

Commentary

I disagree with the author's claim that schools are producing illiterate students that are unable to communicate efficiently with effect of the abolishment of debate competitions and alocution lessons. It is indeed unfair to make this claim as there are alternative ways to develop and nurture communication skills in the children of today. Such others would include critical thinking exercises to be creative in their arguments against controversial issues and a wider emphasis on argumentative essays that is equivalent to having a debate, with pen against paper. Although students can further develop their communication skills by utilizing debates as suggested by the author, I feel it is imperative for them to be skilful at substantiating their ideas first before they take the next step to delivering a debate. As they say, you should learn to walk before you run. In Singapore, in our pre-university days we focus more on our writing skills as we built our fundamentals in communication in secondary school. Also, to spice things up, interclass debate sessions are held to let students gauge their previous performance with their current as well as learn from their mistakes to strive for excellence. Doesn't all this build on their literacy and communication skills? Thus the author is delusional to make such a claim.

The author also mentioned that we are devaluing knowledge as there is no requirement to remember anything. I disagree with his claim. In the past, we place heavy emphasis on rote learning as the examinations then were solely on memory. This might be what he considered to be a method of remembering, however in reality this would be very ineffective as people study without understanding how the knowledge can be applied into life. Progressively, they have been changing the questions asked in the examination that would require more application rather than regurgitation. This would then test on their understanding and critical thinking on the implications of the question, which in my opinion, actually adds value to it. The American system of assessment takes into account every piece of work throughout the semester. Thus, there is a greater scope of the topic covered as this extends out into projects over the internet. The internet is a fountain of knowledge that provides knowledge to people from people with different perspectives. As such, students are able to introduce new material into the classroom, whilst the past they were restricted to the teacher's range of knowledge. In Singapore, we are able to utilize the two forms of assessments, with a larger focus over the examinations. We feel that it is essential for students to have a greater understanding of the subject, so bringing in the occasional project works for greater analysis of the topics is effective. However, as ultimately what defines the future is the examination grades, we are trained consistently on scoring for the GCE A levels. Thus, the author is not right to say we are devaluing knowledge, merely passing it to the later generation differently.

Schools producing a generation of illiterates, says David Starkey

he television historian David Starkey said that head teachers should bring back debating competitions and elocution lessons because schools were producing a generation that was illiterate and could not communicate properly.

Narrow-minded bean-counters and the internet had taken over education, he added, suggesting that Britons in the time of Henry VIII had a more rounded schooling and more competent government.

“We are dangerously devaluing knowledge and learning. In much of the national curriculum there is no requirement to remember anything at all. The notion that you need to hold knowledge in your head seems to have been forgotten,” he told head teachers at a conference in Brighton.

He said that pupils “were being fed on a diet of sub-A-level accountancy” and that too many school-leavers were taking “narrow professional degrees such as law or finance”.

“In the United States, anyone going to the top would not dream of doing something so narrow as a first degree — you would do a broad liberal arts degree, then specialise,” he said.

His comments were seen as a swipe at the Government’s decision to withdraw funding for courses taken by anyone who already holds an equivalent or higher-level qualification.

Dr Starkey, whose recent series, Henry VIII: Mind of a Tyrant, looked at the King’s early life, said: “It’s not good enough to say you can look things up on the web. You can produce connections only if you know facts.”

He criticised schools for not stretching the brightest pupils and pitting them against each other. The system was less likely to identify and nurture clever children from poor backgrounds, he said.

“We are producing a generation that is not only illiterate but practically uncommunicative. Elocution competitions should be reintroduced. It is terrific training, along with acting in plays.

“There was a generosity in Henry’s curriculum with music, poetry, physical education and the proper speaking of modern languages.”